Garcia, Artigliere & Medby filed a lawsuit against Bethel Lutheran Home, Community Regional Medical Center and Community Medical Centers for elder abuse, negligence, fraud and wrongful death on behalf of Arretta Layne.

The lawsuit alleges that Bethel Lutheran Home and Community Regional Medical Center wrongfully withheld the adequate care required to prevent injury to Ms. Layne, despite possessing knowledge of her preexisting health condition. While at Bethel Lutheran Home, she suffered preventable falls resulting in a right hip fracture. She was admitted to Community Regional Medical Center where she developed incapacitating pressure sores and infection as a result of not being tended to properly. In an effort to conceal their failure to provide required care, the hospital staff concealed Ms. Layne’s condition from her family, physician and legal representative. The entirely preventable injuries Ms. Layne sustained while in the care of both facilities led to her death.

“It’s clear that Ms. Layne’s paltry care provided by staff members is a result of severe understaffing and budget cuts,” said Stephen Garcia of Garcia, Artigliere & Medby. “Both facilities prioritized profit over the sufficient treatment of their patient, as required by law.”